Meet Lacey Adams, the Tassie teen shaking up the enduro world stage

At just 17 years old, Tasmanian student Lacey Adams is making her mark on the enduro world stage.

Whilst juggling her final year of high school and international racing, it’s been a whirlwind year for the rising star as she carves out her place at the top UCI Mountain Bike EDR World Series junior ranks.

The Launceston Mountain Bike Club rider has all but wrapped up the overall crown this year – just four years after taking up the sport having cut her teeth on the road and track before transitioning to MTB.

Currently leading the series on 800 points, with final round this weekend, Adams needs to score just one point to mathematically secure the junior women’s overall title, with Lucile Metge needing to win and for Adams to effectively not start.

But Adams won’t want just to settle for finishing, she will be aiming for another win this weekend in Morillon, Haute-Savoie to wrap up the series.

“Every time I race, my mind is set on that top step,” she said. “It’s a nice feeling when that’s accomplished, and that’s what I’ll be looking for at World Champs definitely too.”

It’s been a dream year so far for the Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team rider after an injury-riddled debut season in 2024.

“It made me more determined after having a fair few injuries last year. I wanted to do really well on the world circuit,” she said.

And she has. Adams has landed on the podium at every World Cup round this year — three wins, two silvers and a third.  

Lacey Adams won the World Cup round in Leogang, Austria.

“I knew I had put in the work, with the races I completed last year, I knew my times were up there. I knew I trained hard in the off-season and was confident in myself I knew I could do something and I had good confidence coming into the season. 

“It’s been a super good year, and a super good experience, the team has been amazing and I’ve loved every second of it. It’s been pretty unreal.”

One of her biggest highlights, she says, was clinching her first World Cup win in Loudenvielle, France.

“That was a pretty special moment, having dad there, and having the whole team there. I had such a good day on the bike, I had so much fun, I just felt like I rode the best I could all day and I was feeling super good,” she recalled.

Adams says her narrow 1.655 second victory over her biggest rival Metge at Val di Fassa, Italy, after two tough days of racing was another special moment.

Lacey Adams on the top step at Val di Fassa.  

“The first day I was leading by a fair bit and then I lost a fair bit of time on the second day. It was quite a short final stage so I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I crossed the line and they said I had won. That was pretty unreal,” Adams said.

Adams credits the support of her team for such a successful season.

“I’d struggle a lot without the team. Having a good environment around you makes such a difference.”

She’s also had guidance from Aussie enduro legend Mick Hannah, who she connected with during her injury-ridden season.

“Mick’s been awesome. He’s got so much knowledge and gave me some great advice last year when things were tough.”

Having the trails of Maydena and Derby in her own backyard has also helped hone her skills she says.

“Maydena is an amazing training ground for cutting laps, and doing laps non-stop. It’s got such a wide variety of trails and then Derby then you can just pedal for four hours easily. My home trails have really helped me to get to these races,” she said.

Lacey Adams will compete at her first World Championships for the ARA Australian Cycling Team next month.

Adams’ consistent results throughout the year earned her a spot on the ARA Australian Cycling Team for next month’s UCI Enduro World Championships in Valais, Switzerland.

And she will be one of the red-hot favourites for the rainbow jersey.

The course at Aletsch Area/Bellward is one she knows well, but perhaps not for the right reasons.

“I’m a little bit nervous, I actually broke my collarbone there last year, so I have a few little milestones to overcome but I think I’m confident going into it after the season I’ve had so far,” she said. 

“I actually think it’s a really cool place. I like the trails there. They are lots of fun. They are long, last year they were a little bit slippery, very technical. I’m excited.”

“I know I’ve done the work. I’ve won World Cups. I know I can do it — now it’s about focusing, having fun, and riding the way I know I can.”

Following the World Championships Adams will return to Australia where she will race for the green and gold jersey at the Enduro National Championships in Collie, Western Australia, before a long-awaited off-season.

Images: @maddogborris / @daveeumporephoto / UCI Mountain Bike World Series